Horn button for steering posts



May 10, 1927.

1,627,769 J. H. DENNIS HORN BUTTON FOR STEERING POSTS Filed Dec. 19. 1921 INVENTOR James A. enny;

ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES JAMES H. pnmns, or SEATTIQE. was ma'ron.

HORN BUTTON FOR STEERING roars.

Application filed December 19, 1921. Serial No.'523,460.

This invention relates to si nalling apparatus for 'motorvehiclesand, more especially closing devices for the circuits of electricallyoperated horns.

In some makes-of automobiles it is the practice to equip the same with the signal horn circuit-closing switch, or horn-but on so called, located below the steering Wheel and upon the casing of the steering-post, a position which renders the button difiicult for the operatorto reach.

The present inventimji aims to provide an inexpensively constructed and-efficient device and which may be readily applied to the equipment of an automobile of the type above referred to to facilitate the use of the signal horn without interfering with or inconveniencing the operator in the control .of the car.

The invention consists, generally stated, of an attachment in the nature of an extension to the horn circuit which is connected to the steering-post casing and rotatable with the steering wheel. and which is provided above the latter with a circuit closing device within convenient reach of the operator. The invention more specificaliy consists in certain peculiarities of construction, adapta {on and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a view in side elevation of an embodiment nf izrv invention applied to the upper portion of the support for a steering wheel. the wheel lzeing partly broken away and. the signal system shown somewhat dianmnnitirallv. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary i vertical sectional view of the 1 section being taken substantially 2 of Fig. 3. I Fig. 3 is a plan view I taken on a plane at right angles to of the steering wheel.

In said drawings, the reference numeral 5 designates a steering post extending through a non-rotatable tubular casing or standard 6 having secured to its upper end a gear housing T provided with a cylindrical extension ccured by means of a clamping nut 9 to the post above the housing extension 8 is a steering wheel 10 provided with a hub l and radial spokes 10 as usual. 7

12 represents an electrically actuated signa'. horn which with a battery 13 is included in a circuit having one of its leads 14 grounded with respect to said steering post.

In carrying out the present invention I mount upon the nomrotatahle housing .eJrtension. :8 a; sleeve iii-hut which is insulated therefrom by means of abushing 15- of'suitable material.-

As illustrated said sleeve is secnred in place by means of a set screw 16 and is provided with a binding .screw whereby the ond lead 14 of :the. aforesaid circuit is elec rically connected to the sleeve 15 as by eans eta. binding screw 14.

S id sle ve S Pml ided 'svith a peripheral groove 17 which: is pmfrarablyafiorded by constructing t e ring pa ts 8 aadf18, whereoftl e a-rt 18 is in the nature of a collar which engages .on a

reduced portion fthe other part 18. Rotatably mounted upon aid sleeve within the groove 17 thereof a ring .element 19 having it gial herewi h an arm '20 tendi radially of the ring to ahead 21 and thence upwardly to provide an arm part between two spokes ll of the steering wheel as hown in Fig, .3, Y

Coopera ing with the am part 20 is an arm part -22 which depends at approximately rightangles-train a plat-eelement 23 which is desirably of an annular form so as to surround the nut 9 at a short distance above the wheel hub 10.

The companion arm parts 20 and 22 are separateiy coupled together as by means of screws 25 which. as shown in Fig. 2. extend through an insulating body 24 which is interposed between arm parts above referred to.

This insulating body protrudes, as indicated by 24 in Fig. 3, from the opposite sides of the arms to prevent the latter being contactedby the adjacent spokes ll of the wheel when turning the same in steermg.

Secured to the plate element :23 is a button '26 of an insulating material, preferably of i an annular shape, the internal diameters of the button and plate elements 23 being sufficiently large to accommodate the nut 9 without interfering with their operation.

\Vith the exception of those hereinbefore specified as beim of an insulating material. the above described parts of the device are constructed of electrically conducting material.

The arm elements of both the ring 19 and the plate element :23 are constructed of amaterial having resilient characteristics in order to yieldingly retain said plate element of two interfit-ting 1 not preferred-by :me.

I {Among ith e tidi'iihtzrg'es of :the invent-ion, is'it's' simplicity; that it "ispea'sy to install, and that it protrudesbut little it anybe- :yond the wheell nut.

-"' 1.In' a. leviee of type 'de soribed, the 'eombiiiation witlran im'movable housing-f "nn 'eutomobil'e steering meqhanisni; 'the" 1norable steering po'stpi 'ojectiii'g tlier'eiroin, and

eothelsteering wheehmounted'; 'upon the pro- 'jec'tidg pbrtion e; 'theflpostof ,a Contact arni jbodi1y"mbvab1'y "suppo rted 1iy the housing 'and projecting between the sp'oke oflthe Wheel fo'rjselective'eleCtrie contact withlthe Wheel hiib,'and means for insulating-the arm from the housing and; the wheel spolces whereby the Contaet' arm will be met-e upon its rigid supporting h'ous'ing when the wheel -and".post are turned.

:ZIIn'ja' device of the"type described, the combination With an iirimovable hqusing oi an automobile steering n'ieehanism, the. m0- able steering postprojeetm'g therefrom, and the steering Wheel mounted (in the projectm portibhofthe'post, of a twolpa rt' memlie! immovably: mounted upon end insulated 3min thefihousihg, the: pin-ts of Lsaid member being associated to form a peripheral groove, :1 contact arm bodily noi'ahl supported in the groove ofthe in'nuovuble member and projecting betweeu the spokes of the wheel for selective electric Contact with the wheel hub, and means for insulating the arm from the wheel spokes, whereby the contact arm will be moved upon its .imni'ovable member wihefn the wheel and postare turned. V i i 3. In a device of the type deseribed, the combination with on immovable housing of 4m automobilefsteering meehaniem', the inevaliie 'st'eering'post projectinglt-herefrom, and the steering wheel mounted-on itheprojeet in}; portion of the-post of a member iniiuoi'ahly nibunted' upon and insulated from the housing, a contact arm bodily moi-'abl'y supported by the immovable memben -51nd projeeting between the 'spokespf the wheel for selectiveelectric contact-with the wheel huh, and mea-n s for insulating thearm from the wheel spokes, whereby 'tlie contact arm will be'moved upon its immovable member -when the wheel and post are turned, said insulating' means including a body of insulating material mounted upon the portion of the contact a'fm extending between the spokes of thewheel and project-ing'from opposite sides of said am.

'-Si gne l at'-S attle, Vashington, this 6th day of. December, 1921.

JAMES H. DENNIS 

